Unrequited
by redcandle
Summary: Marcus loves Katie. Katie loves Oliver. Oliver loves Marcus. They learn to cope with unromantic reality. Oneshot.


"Unrequited" by Redcandle17

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and elements from the Harry Potter series belong to J. K. Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Marcus loves Katie…**

He'd always had a thing for Katie Bell, ever since he repeated his seventh year at Hogwarts. Of course, despite what some people thought about him, Marcus was a decent person. Four years older than Katie at a time when even one year meant a world of difference, he'd stayed away from her. Except for the requisite teasing and insults from a Slytherin Quidditch player to a Gryffindor rival.

**Katie loves Oliver…**

She made the Gryffindor Quidditch team in her second year, and from that moment on, Oliver Wood became Katie's god. Though she joked and complained about it with her teammates, Oliver's numerous practice sessions were the highlight of her days. That he, an older, handsome student, sought her out to spend time together was a wonderful thing – even if he only wanted to lecture her on Quidditch strategies.

**Oliver loves Marcus…**

As long as there had been Quidditch in Oliver's life, there had been Marcus Flint. Older, bigger, and meaner, Marcus challenged Oliver until all his time revolved around finding a way to beat Marcus at Quidditch. It was just a game, true. But it was the game that Marcus played with him. It was the only connection they had, and it was the only thing that mattered to Oliver.

**Marcus is not in love with Oliver…**

The day before they left Hogwarts permanently, Oliver gathered his courage and approached Marcus outside the entrance to the Slytherin common room.

"Flint, what are you doing?" Oliver asked, trying to mask his nervousness with an air of casualness.

"Certainly not dangling little Gryffindor children from the towers, Wood! So you can run along now." When Oliver didn't move, Marcus crossed his arms over his broad chest and glared at him. "What do you want?"

To Marcus's surprise and Oliver's horror, Oliver blushed. "I'm trying out for some teams. Puddlemere's looking for a new reserve keeper. I think I've got a good shot there."

"Well, congratulations. What does it have to do with me?"

"I'm just trying to be friendly. What are you going to do, now that we've finished school and all?"

"The same as you," Marcus answered, turning away from Wood and heading down to the dungeons.

"Wait," Oliver called. "Do you want to train together over the summer?"

Marcus turned back to face him, laughing. "Not if you and I were the last two people on Earth, Wood."

**Katie is not in love with Marcus…**

She'd been in St. Mungo's for months now, with only the evening visits from her parents to look forward to. Her friends were still at school, at least those whose parents hadn't already pulled them out of Hogwarts for fear of their safety. Her older friends, Angelina, Alicia, Lee, and the twins, dropped in once in a while, but they were busy struggling with the challenges of adulthood. It was lonely and boring, so Katie was grateful for the entertainment Marcus provided. He'd caught a glimpse of her while visiting an injured teammate, and since then, he stopped in every other day to torment her.

"Bell, still pinning over Wood?" Marcus asked as he sat beside her bed. He hadn't forgotten the note he'd found Katie reading the last time. "God, the idiot sends you a detailed description of his broom care regimen, and you grin like he's written you an epic love sonnet."

Ouch. That one hit a little too close. Still, Katie didn't allow Marcus to see the damage he caused with that one. "Spoken by a man with nothing better to do than verbally abuse schoolgirls."

"It's been two and a half years since Wood left Hogwarts; aren't there any other Gryffindor boys worthy of your obsession?" He grinned that terrifying smile of his. "You can always turn to Slytherin."

"Urgh. I'd like to remain disease free, thank you."

Marcus's grin faded and he leaned too close to her for comfort. "I mean that, you know. Just because Wood isn't interested in you…"

Suddenly Katie realized exactly why Marcus had been spending so much of his time visiting her. "Flint," she began, shrinking away from him.

He made no effort to put any distance between them. She hated the way he used his size to intimidate people. Oliver never did that.

"No," she said.

Marcus blinked and settled back in his chair. "No, what?"

"Me and you? No. It's not going to happen. Never."

"Stop your deranged babbling," Marcus said, his voice cold and his face blank.

He didn't visit her again.

**Oliver is not in love with Katie…**

"And it was okay, really. I mean, he is the keeper. But I could have…" Oliver paused. Katie was staring at him intently, but he suspected she hadn't heard a word he'd said. "The Dark Mark is hanging outside the window." There was no reaction from Katie. Annoyed, Oliver grabbed a lock of her blonde hair and tugged it.

Katie pulled her hair away from him. "Geez, Oliver," she grumbled, "What are you, twelve?"

"I was telling you about the idea I had on how to improve defense of the left hoop."

"I was listening," she said.

It occurred to Oliver that maybe she was worried. A lot of people were worried these days. Though until He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named declared his hatred of Quidditch, Oliver himself had nothing to worry about. "So you're okay at the Ministry?"

"Yeah. I'm grateful I got enough N.E.W.T.s to get the job. Of course, I didn't have anything else to do but study while I was in the hospital."

Oliver nodded sympathetically. "The last Hogwarts class."

"Well, at least we graduated. I really feel sorry for the younger students. If Hogwarts doesn't reopen, who knows how they'll get an education."

"Tragic," Oliver murmured.

"Anyone can die any day now," Katie said. "Oliver, I…I love you."

"I love you, too" Oliver said brightly.

"I mean, I'm in love with you."

Oliver didn't know how to respond to that. He was an expert on the subject of Quidditch. Everything else confused him. So Oliver told the truth. "I'm in love with Marcus Flint."

"Oh." Katie stood up and grabbed her purse. Blinking away tears, she said, "Well good for you. I'll send you and Flint a housewarming gift."

"No," Oliver said. "Flint's doesn't like me."

Katie sat back down. "He likes me. Isn't that ironic?"

**Marcus wants what Oliver doesn't want…**

They met purely by chance, and somehow ended up back at his apartment, rolling around on his bed. Marcus doesn't ask why Katie, who evidently had been saving herself for Oliver all this time, was doing this. Katie doesn't volunteer an answer until afterward.

As soon as it's over, she began to put her clothes back on. "He's in love with you."

Marcus understood immediately who she was referring to: the specter who had been in bed with them. "Tough luck for him," he said.

**Katie wants what Marcus doesn't want…**

There was a tension in the air the next time Oliver and Katie met for dinner at his apartment.

"I fucked Flint," Katie informed Oliver.

Oliver couldn't help being jealous of her. When Katie straddled him and kissed him, Oliver let himself respond. Pathetic as he knew it to be, he wanted to absorb any trace of Marcus left on her. Being where Marcus had been excited him in a way Katie herself never could.

**Oliver wants what Katie doesn't want…**

After their first professional Quidditch game, Oliver and Marcus got into a confrontation. At first they pretended it was about the goals Oliver blocked and the illegal tactics Marcus used. After they exchange blows and Katie's name was flung around, their teammates realized it was personal and left them alone.

"You're so fucking stupid, Wood!" Marcus snarled, rubbing his bruised knuckles.

"Fuck you," Oliver retorted.

Marcus reached for him –to hit him again, probably – and Oliver was so frustrated, he just hauled Marcus close by the collar of his robes and kissed him. That led to them tangled on the floor. It was hard and angry, but it satisfied Oliver the way no one else had ever been able to.

Marcus didn't say a word to Oliver afterward.

**Marcus loves/wants/needs Katie loves/wants/needs Oliver loves/wants/needs Marcus…**

Marcus was the one who came up the solution to their problem. Public places weren't safe anymore, so they met at Oliver's apartment.

"I give Wood what he wants, he gives you what you want, and you give me what I want," Marcus said to Katie.

Katie looked at Oliver. His willingness to participate in the madness was obvious from the eager look on his face.

"It's a deal," Katie said.

None of them got what they wanted, but they got enough to survive.

Until the day one of the three was found murdered, with the Dark Mark lighting the sky above the corpse.

The remaining couple forgot their fallen lover in time.

And they lived happily ever after.

End


End file.
